Chittagong director Bedabrato Pain says the stalling of his film never happened because of AB or his Baby

Last week on a social networking site, Anurag Kashyap expressed anger towards the Bachchans for stalling the release of Chittagong which was set to release with Abhishek Bachchan starrer Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se on December 3. Both films are based on the same subject.

The Dev D director also expressed his anguish over director Bedabrato Pain and his wife Shonali Bose's unhappiness about the "stalling" of their film's release by the mighty moghuls behind Ashutosh Gowarikar's film. In an interview to Subhash K Jha, Bedabrato denies receiving any call from Amitabh Bachchan.

He also adds that he met Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Kolkata last week and had a warm conversation with them. In a candid interview, Bedabrato Pain talks about his film, the 'other' film, his dream and more. Read on:

About Anurag: My wife and I had shown Anurag an earlier unfinished version of Chittagong. He loved the film and had promised to do whatever he could for Chittagong.

As a struggling independent filmmaker, I respect and value support I get from the film fraternity. Beyond that, Anurag has no association with the film. Like him, many other filmmakers have also promised to help promote Chittagong.

On the controversy: It's really strange because here was this unsavory and totally uncalled-for controversy brewing. There I was sitting at Kolkata airport chatting very warmly with Abhishek and Aishwarya.

There was not the least bit of self-consciousness between us regarding his Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se and my Chittagong. I had earlier met Abhishek with his mom Jaya to offer Chittagong to Abhishek and they'd loved it.

Another film on same subject: After we started, we came to know that Ashutosh Gowariker is also making a film on the same background events. So, we talked with him and I requested him not to. He had so many options. I had only this passionate idea to hold on to.

Chittagong has been a work of pure passion for me. I had quit my position as a senior research scientist in NASA in Dec 2008 to make this film. Since then, I have lived and breathed this film from script writing, raising finances, directing, post-production and the release.

But he said that he didn't see a problem in two films being made on the same subject. Anyway each film has its own destiny. And I hold absolutely no grudge against the team behind Khelein....

Why my film was delayed... After some discussion with the distributor, we did decide to go for it on Dec 3. However, within four days, they expressed serious doubts about the wisdom of the decision to release Chittagong head to head with KHJJS. Soon after, they informed me that they will not release it now, but will do so later.

At that point, I had no choice but to go along with that decision. However, at no point, did I or Shonali receive any phone calls from Mr. Bachchan.

Why Chittagong is special: Having met one of the last surviving participants in the struggle Jhunku Roy on what turned out to be his deathbed, it was very important that we make this film (it was almost a promise to Jhunku Roy).

My film first: I was very keen to come out with the film before Khele Hum for a large number of reasons. I did not think the Chittagong story will work purely as a patriotic history lesson story. My take on the subject is also very different.

For instance, even if you look at Manini Chatterjee's book (on which Gowariker's film is based), the notion is that the episode ends with the death of Masterda.

Far from it. Also it was far more exciting to tell the story from the point of the view of the schoolkids who were the mainstay of the uprising. That's why Jhunku Roy, as our protagonist, fit my vantage point the best.

On a personal note, my 16-year-old son, Ishan, who was one of the fiercest supporters of the film, would have wanted us to come out first. So I rushed back to India soon after his funeral (his son passed away in a freak accident) to finish the film and be ready.

We had originally planned a release on October 22, which had to be called off because of the tragedy but I was ready to release it in the last week of November head-to-head with Khelein Hum...."

Releasing my film: "Since we couldn't release it on Dec 3, we have to wait for a while. I'm sure, before I release it, further strategising is needed, which is going to happen very soon. We've to see what would be an appropriate release date."

The impact of KHJJS: I am not sure what the impact of Khelein Hum... would be on Chittagong it's a difficult question to answer. Admittedly, ours is a different film, and it's placement would also be very different. It's not a history lesson, nor does it have a jingoistic fervour.

It's a story of a diffident 14-year old boy striving to overcome his self-doubt and figure out where he belongs a boy torn between his respect for a British official and his admiration for Masterda's vision.

I feel, there's a way of placing Chittagong that makes it stand on its own and not be equated with Khelein Hum... But yes, ideally, I would have liked to have come out first. No question about it."